Surprise From The Past
by browneyes106
Summary: Dan Vassar travels to 1985 and he meets a young man struggling to raise his infant niece. Along the way Dan must prevent an accident from happening in order to keep the small family together but Dan will find a surprise during his mission.
1. Chapter 1

Surprise From The Past

Chapter 1

It had been six months since Dan Vassar started time traveling. Dan traveled back and helped people get their lives on the right or reunite with family and preserve the life of people who in the present day would do good for the world.

It was an average day for Dan at the paper. He had finished up a couple of stories. He told Hugh he was leaving early to do some shopping for Zack's birthday. Zack and Katie went for a trip to visit Katie's relatives for a couple of days.

Dan headed to Max's Toys a popular toy shop in San Francisco. He planned to buy Zack model cars that he could put together. He arrived at the shop but as he put the car in park. The head pain started. Dan quickly got out and the blue light appeared and with that Dan went back to the past.

He leaped into a busy park he saw from a sidewalk newspaper vender that the date was April 18, 1985.

He then saw a young man struggling with a crying baby. The young man looked to be around 22. The baby was dressed in pink she seemed to be a month old. Dan approached them gently.

"You need some help there." Dan asked gently.

The young man had some distress and nodded.

"You have kids" He asked.

"Yeah I got a little boy". Dan responded.

"I'm Derek this is my niece Ashley."

"I'm Dan" He answered.

"Can I try calming her down." Dan asked.

Derek handed off the baby to Dan.

"Dan held her upright and rocked her gently. You have to calm her down like this. The baby girl stopped crying a bit and he handed her back to Derek.

While holding her remembered the time he spent learning to calm down Zack when he was a baby.

"You must be a pro" Derek said.

"It seems like you are babysitting." He responded.

"Actually I will be raising Ashley. My sister died in a childbirth exactly one month ago.

Her name was Terri Brennan a journalist for California Travels Magazine. She was living in Los Angeles.

"Do you read it." He asked.

Dan nodded.

Derek then looked down at his watch. "Look I need to get Ashley to her doctor's appointment.

"Maybe we can meet her tomorrow. You seem to know a lot about babies. I bring Ashley here everyday she seems to like it here." Derek said.

Dan said,, "I'm not sure. I'll try to be here tomorrow."

As Derek and Ashley left. Dan went back to the present day. He founded himself back at the toyshop parking lot. He went and bought Zack's gifts. He headed back to the San Francisco Register to do some database searches on Terri and Derek Brennan.

He looked up Terri first on the magazine database. He found out that Terri was a popular journalist who traveled around the state and wrote about landmarks, vacation spots and famous Californians.

He then looked up information on Derek. He found an old news article dated May 1988. The article headline read "Local paraplegic forms wheelchair basketball team". A picture of Derek appeared.

Derek was injured in a car accident on May 5, 1985 and later formed a basketball team for paraplegics in the area. There was no mention of Ashley in the article. Dan wondered if Derek had kept her or if she had been taken away from him due to his disability or if he put her up for adoption. Dan also found information that Derek was now a popular disability activist in the Bay Area while working as an accountant.

Dan knew his mission to keep Derek from becoming paralyzed in order to keep Ashley with him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Dan always enjoyed being home alone. He loved having a little piece and quiet. He loved watching movies that weren't really good for Zack to see. He wrapped up Zack's presents. He did additional Internet searches on Derek Brennan. Despite all the searches there was no mention of Ashley. Derek had married a physical therapist from the rehab hospital he was in.

A couple of hours of being home Dan received a call from Katie. He told her about his latest journeys meeting Derek and the sweet baby girl. Katie even though she has issues and insecurity over Dan's journeys lent a listening ear and tried to give Dan advice.

"Maybe your purpose is to help find a couple to adopt Ashley and give her a good two parent home." Katie told Dan over the phone line.

"I'm not sure Katie, Derek seemed to adore the baby. He said he enjoyed taking her to the park everyday. Dan responded.

"Maybe I can track down Ashley's father and get him to take his baby. Dan said.

"Have you asked Jack about getting info on Derek's accident ? Katie asked.

"I haven't gotten a chance to ask him he and Theresa have been busy with baby stuff. He responded.

Katie then said "I got to go my parents are taking us out for dinner. Good luck with your journey. She said with her supporting voice.

Dan stayed thinking about Teresa and Jack for awhile. Teresa was eight months pregnant with Jack's baby girl who they decided to name Erin. He did his best to offer advice to Jack about being a father and husband. Jack and Teresa decided to wait until after the baby's birth to see how their relationship would be affected by a child.

After laying on the couch watching TV Dan began to have the pains and sense that it was time to journey back to the past. He found himself at the park again. He then saw Derek at one of benches with a stroller parked next to it. He has Ashley in his strong arms. He walked over to them.

Derek smiled and said, "We haven't seen you in a couple of days."

"How are you doing" He asked.

"I'm doing well. Dan responded.

"How have you two been ? He asked

"Great Ashley did well with her shots and she is getting stronger everyday." He said

Dan sat down on the bench.

"Why don't you ever bring your son here? Derek asked

"He lives away from me with his mother." Dan quickly responded with a fake story.

" Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry" Derek said

"It's ok we get along well and my son has a great mother." Dan said

"I wish I had a mother for Ashley" Derek said sadly.

"I don't mean to pry Derek but do you know anything about Ashley's father? Dan asked.

"You remember how I told about my sister worked for a magazine. Derek said.

Dan nodded.

"Well she had a short relationship with one of the photo journalists a guy named Frank Vassar. He left her as soon as he found out about the pregnancy." Derek said.

Dan then did his best not to show the shock of what Derek said. He glanced down at the baby in Derek's arms. Ashley wasn't some random baby that needed his help. She was his half sister. Dan looked up and saw Livia in a distance looking towards him.

Dan quickly made up the excuse that Livia was a coworker who he needed to talk to. Derek asked him his last name and Dan made up a fake surname of Jackson and said bye to them and told him he would meet up with them sometime soon to talk about baby care and other things.

He walked toward Livia and said "the baby is my sister."


End file.
